Key result
Prehospital ketamine by non-anaesthetists appears safe and effective for pain relief in multiple injuries.
Why the study?
Ketamine is used as a safe and effective analgesic option in prehospital care for patients with multiple injuries and those requiring manipulation and splintage of fractures, avoiding opioid-related hypotension and respiratory depression.
Case Report
Ketamine is a safe and effective prehospital analgesic option for trauma patients, particularly when administered by non-anaesthetists.
Hypothesis-generating for prehospital ketamine by non-anaesthetists; prospective trials needed before adoption.
The relief of pain is an essential component of prehospital care and, when required is usually administered on completion of the primary survey. For simple analgesia morphine sulphate titrated to the clinical response and preceded by an antiemetic is usually effective, for example, in the relief of pain in chest trauma or myocardial infarction. For patients with multiple injuries and for those patients requiring manipulation and splintage of fractures and for entrapments and difficult extrications ketamine is a safe and effective option, which avoids the potential decrease in blood pressure and respiratory depression that is associated with opioid analgesia. This paper reports the personal experience in the prehospital administration of ketamine by a non-anaesthetist working as an immediate care practitioner as part of a British Association for Immediate Care (BASICS) Scheme.
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Keith Porter (2004) conducted a case report in Prehospital pain. Ketamine was evaluated. Prehospital administration of ketamine by a non-anaesthetist was described as a safe and effective option for pain relief in patients with multiple injuries or requiring extrication.
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